Fantastic ramen, just try it out. You won't be disappointed. I came here aa I had to go through…read moreDenver and this place was a pleasant surprise. Something I'm going to have to make a regular thing. The broth was fantastic, the noodles just right and the meat delicious. Everything came together like true raman from Japan. The price is very fair for the quality. No issues at all. Place is clean, music was not loud and the decor was on point. The only thing I wish was it was not in Denver! 10/10 fantastic food for a fantastic price

This location of Asuka exceeded my expectations so I must write…read more Between the gym time and yoga session all on Broadway, I had a good hour (at least) to grab something to eat and yet I needed something quick at the same time. As I was pondering to see if I should go to more of a sit-down restaurant, Asuka's quick poke bowl sounded like a much better choice so I rushed the one on Broadway between the gym and yoga. I stepped in to be greeted by the lady in charge of the kitchen and the register. She was still finishing up the guest ahead of me but once she was done she came to take my order. I went with the Build-Your-Own bowl. The lady was efficient in asking me which ingredients I would want for my nutrient-rich bowl. She was wasting no time and effort and yet she wasn't rushing to get rid of me either (LOL!!) She sounded like she is/was used to handling a long line of people but never forgets/forgot the routine of good service. Once my bowl was perfectly crafted, she had a quick and yet genuine thank you to say. She then moved on to the next person in line. By then there were several people in line. Once I had paid I took the time to look at the interior decorations. And they are quite cute! The umbrella decors on the ceiling are one of them to mention. The dining area is not big and yet it can hold a good number of guests. Quite tidy and clean indeed. Between the location down the street from my house on Yosemite and this one, this location is quite more lively. The Yosemite location seemed a bit smaller than this one. Let's talk the quality of the bowl! Very fresh! From the crunchy cucumber pieces that snapped as I ate it to protein (salmon and tofu) to al the fixings that topped the bowl, everything tasted surprisingly and refreshingly delicious. I wouldn't necessarily say that it tasted exactly like the authentic poke bowls I experienced in Hawaii only a few months ago, Asuka is a solid (chain) place I can go and grab a bowl with no compromise. I have come to appreciate this place very much.

Came in an hour before they closed and ordered a sushi roll with a special request. The guy who…read moretook my order was extremely nice and the food came out in a timely manner. I was born and raised in Hawaii and can say the fish is fresh and the rice is amazing, definitely coming back to try other menu items! Edit; I want to mention the guy who took my order also made the food and he took nice care of us. Nice to see genuine hospitality these days.

The food, as always, is delicious, which explains why the restaurant is packed--and that is a joy…read moreto see. However, it is a shame to find only a single server on duty, a familiar face who has been here for years, or at least as long as I can remember. She works tirelessly and remains polite to a fault, yet she is visibly struggling to keep pace with bagging to-go orders, waiting tables, clearing dishes, and seating new guests. Miyako, I love your establishment and have been a loyal patron since 2016, but please hire another server to give her some much-needed help.

We had a great meal here and our server was very attentive and nice! The decor in this restaurant…read moreis OnePiece themed but it's not super noticeable, as they have a strong izakaya theme throughout the place. The vibe is fast and loud, but the servers are super efficient and communicative. I really liked the tokidoki roll and hamachikama. Hard to go wrong with those! The hamachi kama was HUGE. They give you the entier collar! I also liked the yaki ika which was very tasty, not rubbery at all. They have a lot of ramen on the menu which was a crowd pleaser for our group. Their edamame is also very spicy and quite good -- not your typical simply salted edamame. One thing I wouldn't order - the kimchi fried rice. One person in our party ordered it but it wasn't really fried rice, just kimchi and meat mixed with steamed white rice.

Yaki Ika and yes, I did it. I have been eyeing on stopping by at this restaurant for awhile…read morewanting to try it. It was good and glad I did. Commonly called ikayaki and checked off! You can try to park at the free parking, off the street or on the street. It was Sunday 3 pm and parking was no problem. Ambiance. Very Japanese like feeling with knick knacks every where with banners, akachõchin. Sushi bar takes one side and also a small bar to the back. Drink menu featured several imported Japanese bottled beers on top of the common ones at reasonable price. Ended up getting the house salad, chicken yakitori, spicy tonkatsu ramen and yaki ika. All tasted good, no complaints. Spicy tonkatsu ramen had rich broth, chatsu was grilled and plenty. Repeat

This restaurant is located in a Denver neighborhood known as HiLo. From the outside, one wouldn't…read moreimagine a restaurant like this in an upscale area. However, when you enter through the front door and walk in, you get the sense that not only does this restaurant belonghere, you soon will be treated and understand what taiwanese-style hot hots are, and it is truly delicious! We started with orders of popcorn chicken and chicken wings. Both items are a must try appetizers. As I popped a couple of popcorn chicken in my mouth, even without the accommodating sauce, the tastebuds in my mouth were partners dancing and jumping for joy. The sauce used to marinade and cooked in the chicken wing was so good! No side sauce necessary, but it was an added bonus to the dish. My main entrée was the seafood lobster hot soup, and boy, it was flavorful, tasty, and totally delicious! So many items in this soup including shrimp, octopus, clams, mussels, and a lot of different vegetables, but my favorite was the taro. These taro slices went very well with the soup. If you happen to be in the area, go and check out this restaurant. Because of the many soup options, don't be shy to ask for recommendations from the staff. They are very helpful and will assist you and your hunger needs.

Unfortunately, my experience left me feeling like I may have gotten food poisoning. I'm not sure if…read moreI simply had a bad batch or if the quality and freshness of the ingredients were the issue, but it was disappointing. The soups initially seemed promising and really enticing, but once they arrived at the table, I found myself questioning the ingredients and what I was actually eating. On a positive note, the service was kind and efficient, and the restaurant had a great ambience inside. I really wanted to enjoy the experience, but the food quality ultimately overshadowed the positives.

Long time listener, first time caller! On an unusually cold and rainy day in June, the ramen…read morecravings were more prevalent than ever. Ultimately, this local spot did the trick on a dreary day. It was quiet in here for lunch, understandable on a bleak day. The dining room has plenty of seating. The menu has a robust variety of ramen, poke, appetizers, donburi, and a full bar. Spicy Miso Ramen ($16.95) // Ramen noodles, chashu, corn, bok choy, bean sprouts, black fungus, Naruto, seasoned egg, green onion. Noodles had good texture. Broth was silky with solid depth of flavor, though I would've loved more spice. And I enjoyed the chashu. A large portion for the price, good luck finishing the whole bowl! Service was good too. You can tell they were a little bored considering the restaurant wasn't busy, so they checked in on us more than usual. Better that then the opposite right?! A local restaurant worth venturing to on Colorado Blvd. With lots of options in a close proximity, Ajinoya is worth a visit. I can't wait to try more of the menu items!

Solid ramen place. Broth is flavorful and not too heavy. The roasted, charred chasu flavor was a…read morelittle different for me but it was nice touch. I got the tonkatsu shoyu ramen, which had a sprinkle of pepper powder. Only thing I wished was that the broth was hotter. Went on a weeknight and there was plenty of tables around. Service was nice and attentive.

Step into the sleek, intimate charm of @ototoden in Denver's Old South Pearl Street Shopping…read moreDistrict. They're now offering a delicious lunch. As the relaxed counterpart to Sushi Den and Izakaya Den, Oto offers a more casual yet equally elevated dining experience, where the focus is on traditional pub-style Japanese cuisine. Explore a curated selection of sake, Japanese beers, and thoughtfully crafted cocktails that perfectly complement the savory menu. In Japanese, Ototo means "younger brother." The name is a perfect, playful nod to the restaurant's hierarchy and family dynamic on South Pearl Street. Bonus treat: The South Pearl Street Farmers' Market runs on Sundays from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, typically from early May through mid-November. Lunch Hours : Sunday: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM (Lunch/Brunch) Monday & Tuesday: CLOSED

Ototo used to be one of my top recommended restaurants to friends and people visiting Denver. It's…read morean easy reservation. The food is good. In general, it's been a laid back, go-to place to get a meal that will be much better than average for the price. I've been many times since before and after COVID, and it was one of my favorite repeatable spots in Denver. However, the crew totally dropped the ball with our visit today. My wife ordered a tonkatsu ramen and got a chicken tonkatsu set instead (chicken cutlet, not bowl of ramen). To not make it weird, we just let that one be for the greater good of the table because it was our anniversary, grandparents were visiting, and we are here often. Our hamachi kama (one of my favorite dishes in the entire city, normally something I'd highly recommend on this review) was never sent to the kitchen, leaving us waiting for over an hour with two young kids at the table who had finished 40 minutes before. I watched the staff's confusion from my seat, even after we had been told that it was on its way. It was never even started, and it was obvious. That stuff happens, but it's hard to hide what happened in an open kitchen where you can hear what people are saying. But then after they had the "oh crap" moment, it wasn't even expedited. It was gonna take so long that it wasn't worth getting, so two people had to leave our not-busy lunch without getting the main thing we brought them to Ototo for. We were asked to wait for the dish, waited 15 more minutes, and it was not even close to ready. And while I appreciated the apology, the manager initially just tried to "take the dish off the bill," a dish we never received. So he basically tried to do nothing because no restaurant would charge for something that never came out. After I pointed this out, they took off part of the check, but that attempt at nothing under the guise of a comp was crazy. I've easily spent thousands at Ototo over the years. I've sent tons of people to Kizaki, Temaki Den, and the others. This will probably be the last time I go to Ototo. If you read some of the recent bad reviews, something is not working here anymore. I hope the otherwise amazing service at the other Dens can find its way back to Ototo.

The other reviews that drove me here were right! What a great sushi spot!…read more The spicy edamame was different here vs other places, and I LOVE that when restaurants offer something else other than just plain salt -- people, we can do that at home! Use your creativity to come up with other ways to simply dress the edamame! See my pic on that to learn more. The assorted nigiri pieces came out prettier than most other sushi spots, they definitely brushed it to make it look pretty, and that's setting the bar higher where it should be! My roll was the Makizushico Special Roll and I was very pleased with it, however, it looks nothing like their picture online. I'd get it again next time.

Phenomenal dining experience from beginning to end. The space is not huge, but with the sushi bar,…read morethere is a decent amount of seating. I recommend planning ahead with a reservation, as they can get busy during a dinner rush. We were visiting Colorado for a quick weekend trip and were floored by the food here. While the rolls all sounded great, we opted for an omakase experience. It is priced at market value, so I imagine this could vary over time, but they had three tiers for omakase, which I thought were all fairly priced for the amount of food included. We opted for the highest tier, which was $120 pp, and it was incredibly filling with high quality cuts of fish and a thoughtfully curated menu. The sushi chef who took care of us was incredibly kind, and it was clear he put a lot of care into the food he prepared. If you're on the fence, hop off and make that reservation and come hungry for the omakase experience!

The best ramen of my life. I've been here twice and always leave amazed. They are in a great…read morelocation, right off Broadway with free street parking. The staff is super attentive, always filling the water cups and checking in. The food is so awesome though, tons of flavor. My favorite so far was the spicy chicken (I need it slicker though, even the slice bomb wasn't enough), but their pork belly is also great.

Drinks were unique and delicious. I had the Ohtani's interpreter. You can taste all the spices and…read moreherbs. The apps were so fresh. Be ready to spend a bit of for the full experience. My ramen was good. Noodles delicious, but the broth could of used a bit more flavor. My broinlaw's curry ramen was really good.